Backing up LrC catalog and photos to separate SSDs

[starphoto57]

I'm new to the web-based version of LrC (used LR5 years ago) and have just imported my first folder and created a collection to get my LrC legs under me again.  I'm not really interested in saving the little bit of work that I did in LR5 (I've been in a photo hobby drought for years due to work demands) so I'm starting with a clean slate, so to speak.  I've always held my original file photos on my laptop internal drive which I've backed up (dragged and dropped) onto two external SSDs.  It's been a while, but I recall just backing up my catalog to the default internal drive location (I know, risky business, but I'm learning).  Reading through quite a number of posts on catalog backup methods, I'm wondering if, after backing up my catalog internally, if it's okay to just back up/replace the entire Lightroom folder (drag and drop) onto the external SSDs, or is that even appropriate.  Also, since I'm importing from my internal drive into LrC, if/when it fails, would I have to somehow relink to the backed up photos on the separate external SSDs?  Any direction with regard to these questions (or to a comprehensive post) would be greatly appreciated by this (effective) newbie.

[GoldingD]

First up a bit of possible confusiom, your statement:

I'm new to the web-based version of LrC 

By that you mean subscription model where the app is acquired via the web, a.k.a. cloud, correct? Hence that unfortunate name of Creative Cloud, or CC.

I ask that because as you may have noticed for a computer their is Lr and LrC, the first being Lightroom Ecosystem, that places a album on the cloud, photos typically on the cloud but can be local. And LrC or lightroom Classic, a catalog on a hard drive, photos fairly anywhere but typically on  hard drive

And current LrC is v13.4

So, you have v13.4 Correct?

[starphoto57]

LrC v13.4, correct.  On to your second, very comprehensive, post.

[GoldingD · Accepted solution]

And to your actual question

first some points in LrC as to locations

• The catalog must be on a hard drive physically connected to the computer. It can be internal or external, and the external can be in a RAID (a DAS)
• The catalog cannot be on any sort of network share, be that an actual Server, a NAS, or the Cloud
• Yes, some will state that keeping the catalog on a NAS is the best thing since sliced bread. But it eventually fails, And Adobe does not support it.
• The catalog can take advantage of being on your fastest hard drive
• The photos can be on any hard drive including internal, external, DAS, they do not have to be on the same hard drive as the catalog. Some state they can be on a NAS or the Cloud, but typically that fails (not recommended)
• The photos cannot take much advantage of being on your fastest hard drive
• The Camera RAW CACHE can be on any hard drive, internal, external, DAS, Placing on a NAS may slow it way down. Forget the cloud.
• Yes some will keep their photos on a NAS, And it works for them. Until it does not. Typically when a problem comes up it is a simple fix involving redefining where the folders are, unlike the catalog on a NAS that can cause a corrupted catalog. Interesting it appears  that Adobe does support photos on a NAS. But do not do that. Backups fine, working not so much.
• The Camera RAW CACHE can take advantage of being on your fastest hard drive
• In a Widows environment their is some performance hits if the Camera RAW CACHE is on the same hard drive as the Windows paging file (but may be minimal)

Lightroom Classic catalog FAQ

Now on to backups:

• In LrC, using the Backup feature, only backups the catalog, not the photos, and not several LrC resources.
• The backup(s) can be fairly much anywhere, a hard drive, internal, external, DAS, a NS, the cloud, some other network share, someone else's hard drive.
• The catalog and the photos do not need to be backed up to the same destination, this is a users decision.
• Do not keep any backup of anything on the same hard drive as  the original. That hard drive breaks, everything is lost.
• Keep several backups. Normal rule is 3-2-1. Three copies of your data, stored on two different types of media, with one copy kept off-site
• Two different media can be one internal hard drive, one external hard drive, or a NAS. Or the Cloud. By different media they mean not the same device. And consider an external hard drive that you disconnect and hide away in case of theft.
• Off site can be the Cloud, or perhaps someone else's hard drive, perhaps a external hard drive you ship to a friend or family member, If you were in business, that would be shipped far far away, to count for natural disaster or man made like some nut flying into a building)

Back up a catalog

You're Probably Not Backing Up All of Your Lightroom Classic Data

The 3-2-1 Backup Strategy

[starphoto57]

First, thank you for an 'above and beyond' response (and links, which I will explore further).  I do actually keep one of my backup SSDs in a large, fireproof (not that anything is actually fire 'proof') safe, and take the other with me if I leave for any extended period.  That said, I do have a few follow up questions after reading (and rereading) both of your responses:

1.  Once I back up my catalog to the laptop or one of the external SSD drives, can I copy and paste (or drag and drop) the catalog to the second backup SSD without any issue (meaning that both will be equally capable of providing a catalog recovery in the event of the laptop drive failing)?

2.  As long as I don't change file names outside of LrC, if my laptop hard drive fails and I have to recover my photos from one of the backup SSDs, will the (backed up) catalog recognize the backed up photos on either/both of the external SSDs?

3.  What cloud backup service would you recommend (most proven or popular) for all of my photos (and the entire laptop hard drive, I presume)?  I've seen several mentioned in different posts (and YouTube videos), including Microsoft's push for OneDrive, but I would welcome your (or others) thoughts.

Thank you once again.

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

1. You can copy and paste the backup to the 2nd SSD, not the original catalog. The backup catalog should never be on the internal disk where the original is located.

2. The backup catalog will recognize the ORIGINAL photos, not the backups. If the ORIGINAL photos are no longer available, then see https://www.lightroomqueen.com/restore-backups/

3. I use Carbonite, there are other services, I have never (yet) needed to restore all of my photos from Carbonite, but a simple test involving one small folder showed me it was relatively simple to do

[starphoto57]

Excellent, thank you, that answers my questions.  I also appreciate the link, which explains my restore question in perfect detail.  Regarding cloud backup services, does anyone else have recommendations?  Carbonite has been around for quite some time, and I've seen BackBlaze pop up in a number of other posts.  Since I'm starting out with that clean slate I mentioned up front, I'd welcome any other thoughts.